Date of Award
Fall 11-21-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning Sciences
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction
First Advisor
Bruce Uhrmacher
Second Advisor
Frédérique Chevillot
Third Advisor
Paul Michalec
Fourth Advisor
Rashida Banerjee
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Auto-criticism, Expereintial learning, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Professional development, Science teaching
Abstract
This auto-criticism investigates the benefits of experiential professional development for science educators by examining the reflective journey of one teacher-researcher—me—through multiple immersive learning experiences. Using narrative journaling and qualitative analysis, this study captures the influence of these experiences on my identity, instructional design, and ability to create experiential learning opportunities for students.
Rather than approaching professional development as a checklist of strategies, this research seeks to illuminate how deeply engaged, hands-on learning can transform teaching from routine delivery to embodied practice. Thematic coding revealed shifts in curriculum planning, increased responsiveness to student inquiry, and renewed clarity around the purpose of science education in a changing world.
Ultimately, this work offers a textured portrait of teacher learning that is rooted in reflection, vulnerability, and imagination. It argues that effective professional development must not only transfer knowledge but also cultivate meaning—nurturing educators’ capacity to see, to feel, and to teach with authenticity. In doing so, it extends the conversation on science teacher preparation by asserting that experiential learning is not only for students but also for the educators who guide them.
Copyright Date
11-2025
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Mellissa Ann Pfaff
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
288 pgs
File Size
2.6 MB
Recommended Citation
Pfaff, Mellissa Ann, "An Auto-Criticism: Exploration of Professional Development for Secondary Science Educators" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2684.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2684
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons